


James Smith, Seventh Year Slytherin

by CrazedChemist



Series: The (mis)adventures of one James Smith [7]
Category: Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery (Video Game)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Cursed Vaults (Hogwarts Mystery), F/M, Female Corey Hayden (Hogwarts Mystery), Hogwarts Seventh Year, Novelization, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-05
Updated: 2021-02-26
Packaged: 2021-03-17 05:08:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 14,175
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29219994
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CrazedChemist/pseuds/CrazedChemist
Summary: It’s the last school year for James Smith at Hogwarts, and already the events of the previous year come haunting him, as well as new dangers and adventures.Follows the game story of a male Slytherin protagonist as closely as possible to both the game and the original HP books' canon, and so obviously it will contain spoilers for the game. Will be updated every month or two, depending on the rate at which they keep updating the game.
Relationships: Merula Snyde/Original Character(s), Merula Snyde/Original Male Character(s), Player Character/Merula Snyde
Series: The (mis)adventures of one James Smith [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2007511
Comments: 3
Kudos: 5





	1. Passing the time

James Smith could hardly remember what had happened in the last two weeks of his sixth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He vaguely recalled barely passing his exams, and a lot of avoiding his friends. He had barely registered when Slytherin won the House Cup for the fifth year in a row, and felt completely detached from the ensuing celebration. In the journey back on the Hogwarts Express, he had faked being asleep the entire time (until he actually fell asleep out of tiredness), to not be bothered by anyone. In fact, the last thing James Smith did remember clearly was a scene that had burned itself in his mind: his (until then) girlfriend joining the cabal known as R, and leaving everything else behind.

Now, Merula was gone, and he was sitting on a white bench in a small park about a mile from his home. It had been a week since he had returned back home from school, and he had managed to set up a meeting with his brother to inform him of what he had discovered. A gentle breeze moved the grass in the small park, making the blades dance and waver around. Under the orange light of dusk, the park was empty save for the young wizard in Muggle attire, who grew more and more impatient by the minute. A loud snapping sound broke through the silence, and Jamie stood up immediately upon hearing it. He looked around in a circle, and saw a figure step out of a group of tall bushes. Jamie couldn’t help but smile, saying ‘Jacob! I’m glad you could make it, I have something important to tell you.’  
Jacob smiled back at him, asking ‘What is it, Jamie? Tell your big brother all about it.’  
Jamie nodded gravely, taking a deep breath before delivering the news. ‘It has to do with the Hogwarts mole… It looks like Merula was the Hogwarts mole and she may have joined R. And… she promised she’d bring me into the fold, too,’ he explained. A heavy silence fell between the two, and Jamie felt uncomfortable, quickly adding ‘I haven’t told anyone else, yet. And I haven’t confronted her either, I haven’t seen her since learning about it…’  
‘Good, don’t confront her yet,’ Jacob said severely, sitting down on the bench.  
Jamie sat with him. ‘Really?’  
‘Right now you have the advantage, Jamie.’  
‘It certainly doesn’t feel like I have an advantage…’ muttered Jamie, hanging his shoulders. ‘We’d been through so much together, and I thought we… Well, I thought…’  
A comforting hand was placed on his shoulder, and Jacob nodded understandingly. ‘A betrayal like that is a hard hit to take, Pip. I’m sorry you have to go through this.’  
Jamie remained silent for a while, and Jacob didn’t press on or ask any questions, instead lying back on the bench. When Jamie finally spoke, he did so in a quiet voice, as if his voice had been drained. ‘Tell Mad-Eye, will you? I’m not sure I could do it right now.’  
‘Of course,’ promised Jacob. ‘Though I’m sure he’ll want to talk to you, sooner or later.’  
‘…hopefully later…’  
Jacob stood up, giving his younger brother a kind smile. ‘Take care, Jamie. And write if you need to talk.’ 

A month later, Jamie was alone in his room. He had practically secluded himself to those four walls since talking to Jacob, going out just enough to not alarm his parents. And why would he be anywhere else? Visiting or writing to any friends would only mean eventual questions about where Merula had gone at the end of last term, why she had disappeared just before the final exams from school; and that was a conversation he did not wish to have just yet, not again. And writing or contacting Merula herself was something he’d never done over any summer, never mind now. Jacob was still working with Alastor Moody on finding every last member of R, though he wrote to Jamie from time to time. In the meantime, Jamie focused on doing his homework and practicing some magic to avoid thinking about Merula’s betrayal. Now that he was of age, he was free to cast any spells, as long as the window was closed and the curtains pulled so that no nearby Muggles could see him. But even that was not enough, and the sorrow and endless thoughts of what had happened always returned, and always consumed him, as they were doing now.

Should he be looking for her? Jacob had said that he shouldn’t, and what could he do that Moody and Jacob weren’t doing already, anyways? To search for Merula would mean searching for R, surely. Even if he found her… what then? What would he even say to her? That he hated her now? That she would pay? Even when trying to force himself to hating her, he never managed to do so. He could feel disappointment in her, and fury at R for taking her away, but when it came to anger towards her… A stronger feeling always took over, and no amount of better judgement could change it. While mulling, Jamie’s sight went over the bookshelf in the room, where at the top a piece of cloth had been draped over a green heart totem Jamie couldn’t bear to look at since returning home. He had not been able to bring himself to getting rid of it, either.

Had he ever told her he loved her? Had she, for that matter? He didn’t remember. Every time he remembered their times together, he only remembered the feeling of happiness, only to then have the memories crushed by the most recent one of her leaving with that Dark witch he had been spying on. Had she faked it all? Moreover, Merula had promised to R she would bring Jamie into the cabal, but how would she do this? Would she kidnap him, or lure him in? Would she contact him? Several times over the summer Jamie fantasised about a possible reunion with Merula, where she would try to reason with him to join R, and he would reason with her to leave R. These fantasies would mostly end with a happy ending, being fantasies. Sometimes, Merula would confess that had all been a lie, that she had never really joined R. But sometimes, the thought of what would happen if he had to fight her assailed him. He had little doubt he could win the confrontation, judging by their shared history. But could he bring himself to harming her? To handing her over to the authorities, to the Dementors in Azkaban? Or, if left with no other choice… could he kill her? Killing couldn’t be that hard, he knew many spells that could be deadly if used correctly. Sometimes, he had even fantasised about killing other members of R, in moments of heated anger. But Merula?

No. He could not even think of killing her without feeling sick. No matter how much her betrayal had felt like a piercing stab to his heart, he couldn’t get over his feelings for her. And if he couldn’t kill her, and she won the confrontation… would he join her? The allure of power wasn’t as tempting to him as it had been to her, but joining R could mean reuniting with her… And if he was to lead R someday, who was to say he couldn’t lead them down a less destructive path? A path that placed no innocent lives in danger?

A loud rapping noise by the window interrupted Jamie’s thought process. He looked at his bedroom’s window, and saw a beautiful brown owl at the other side tapping the glass with a claw, a letter tied to it. Jamie opened the window and untied the letter, and as soon as he had done so the owl turned and flew away. Jamie closed the window, inspecting the yellow envelope with the Hogwarts crest on the wax seal. It felt heavy, and he could guess what was inside other than his list of books. Breaking the wax seal, he opened the envelope and took out two bits of parchment, a train ticket, and a green and golden badge with two words engraved on it: “Head Boy”. Reading over the first parchment, he saw it was the standard list of books and supplies, and the date reminder for the start of term, and passed on to the second parchment. It read:  
“ _Dear Mr Smith,  
I am pleased to inform you that you have been chosen for the position of Head Boy for your seventh and final year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed your new Head Boy badge – I trust you’ll find it suitably shiny.  
Yours sincerely,  
Albus Dumbledore  
Headmaster_”  
Jamie turned the badge around between his fingers on his right hand, finding it indeed suitably shiny, as Dumbledore put it. A fleeting wonder of who had been chosen as Head Girl went through his head, but he found he cared little about it. He placed the badge on his desk, next to a pair of thick glasses once gifted to him by his best friend. Ever since the death of Rowan Khanna, Jamie had worn the glasses daily not out of necessity, but to honour his late friend. But the mission of the Circle of Khanna had been completed, and Jamie had stopped wearing the glasses daily, instead saving them for “special occasions”, just like he did when Rowan was still alive.

‘ _Why even return to Hogwarts?_ ’ he thought, putting down the parchments next to the badge. He could almost feel Rowan’s disappointment from the afterlife upon thinking this, but did not feel any remorse for doing so. After all, what did he even have left at Hogwarts? His friends? They would probably be safer if he left. His education? It seemed of little importance, after all the times he had fought for his life in recent years. For protection? He couldn’t remember the last time he had felt safe at Hogwarts. He would better spend his time hunting down R with his brother. He was of age after all; the Ministry couldn’t stop him…

And the question of how he would even find R, and Merula, returned. As he pondered, his eyes went to a shelf over his desk, on the wall, and over the objects it held. The broken pieces of two wands lay alongside a moving photograph with many familiar smiling figures waving at him, framed in wood. The ruffled black hair of Rowan caught his eye, and his thoughts raced faster. R had already taken a friend’s life, and stolen Merula. Would they stop there? What if they held someone else hostage until Jamie accepted to join? What if he wasn’t there to stop them from doing so?

And at that moment, Jamie made up his mind, and a choice: he would return to Hogwarts, and carry on as normal, ever vigilant, until R approached _him_. If they wanted to bring him into the fold, he would be waiting for them on his own terms. And, until then, he could keep an eye on the rest of the students, to make sure R didn’t target them. No more running after R only to fall in traps. This time, he would be the bait, and the trap would be his. Jacob was right: _he_ had the advantage over Merula. The faintest ghost of a smile formed on his face, as he looked down at his shiny new badge with his new resolution.  
‘ _I’ll be waiting for you, Merula._ ’

The rest of summer went by at a snail’s pace for Jamie, who grew more and more impatient as each day passed to start the term. But at last, September 1st arrived, and it was time for him to go to King’s Cross Station with his parents to board the Hogwarts Express one more time. The day before, though, his mother forced him to shave the unkempt stubble he had not cared to trim over the summer, and cut his long straw-like hair to a much shorter style. Platform nine and three quarters was bustling as always when they arrived at half past ten, and he loaded his trunk onto the train with some help and kissed his parents goodbye. As Head Boy, he had to give a briefing to all the Prefects, especially the new ones, so he had little time to search for his friends before duty called. Stopping briefly to change into his school robes in an empty compartment, he placed the Head Boy badge over his Prefect one, and put on Rowan’s glasses for the special occasion.

Upon entering the Prefects’ wagon, a familiar voice called out to him. ‘Jamie!’  
‘Charlie, great to see you!’ said Jamie, walking over to the Gryffindor Prefect. ‘How was your summer?’  
‘Oh, it was great,’ said Charlie, grinning. ‘Didn’t see any dragons, but I did study a lot. What about you? Couldn’t write even a single “I’m fine, how about you” note?’  
‘Yeah, sorry about that…’ said Jamie sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head. ‘But really, I just didn’t have any news…’  
‘Don’t worry about it. Congratulations, by the way,’ he said, pointing at the new badge on Jamie’s chest. ‘It suits you. Unlike that hair.’  
‘Yeah, that’s my Mum’s doing,’ said Jamie, passing a hand over his extremely short hair. ‘I notice yours hasn’t cut your hair to under an inch.’  
‘Yet,’ quipped Charlie. ‘I’m sure she’ll try, one of these days…’  
They continued talking a bit more about their summers. Charlie had done quite a bit more research into dragon sanctuaries, and was talking about a position he wished to try for in Romania when the train started moving. ‘Suppose I’ll have to give the briefing then,’ said Jamie, looking around the train car to find the Head Girl, but he needn’t look for long.  
Almost as soon as he had said this, he was approached by a short girl with a round face; a girl that, he recalled, was a Gryffindor in his own year. She had brown eyes and shoulder-length reddish-brown hair swept to one side, and a red and gold badge with “Head Girl” engraved on it. And, by the look of her face, she was absolutely beaming with happiness and pride. ‘You’re James Smith, right?’ she asked, addressing Jamie. ‘I don’t think we’ve formally met yet. I’m Corey Hayden, Head Girl!’ she continued, extending a hand to the Slytherin.  
‘Oh, well… it’s nice to meet you Corey!’ said Jamie, trying to match her happy demeanour. ‘Congratulations! You must be very proud.’  
Corey nodded enthusiastically. ‘I’m so excited to be Head Girl! I’ve already given out some Chocolate Frog Cards to some first-years!’  
‘That’s brilliant…’ said Jamie, his smile a bit forced. ‘Hey, Corey, we have to explain Prefect duties to the new Prefects, right? Would you like to start?’  
‘Oh, right!’ said Corey, and clearing her throat she called out to the rest of the wagon to get everyone’s attention.

As she spoke, explaining the basic rules for Prefects as well as answering a few questions here and there, Jamie noticed how naturally she talked in front of a crowd; she fit the description of a good public speaker, certainly. He helped offering some input from time to time, but it was certain throughout that she was the one carrying the presentation, and he wasn’t quite sure whether she minded it, or preferred it that way. Truth be told, he didn’t care either way; with Corey taking on most of the questions his mind was free to wander and ponder on the issues it had pondered for three long months. How would he tell everyone else at the Circle of Khanna what he had learned about Merula? How would they react? Should he even tell them? If word got out, and Merula caught wind of it, then she would know he knew about her being the mole. And besides, the Circle of Khanna was no more, their mission was complete; would it be right to involve everyone else again, now that they were free from the vaults? Half an hour later, Corey’s Head Girl presentation was coming to a close, and by then Jamie had decided he would keep the information, unless someone he trusted asked directly about it.

After the Prefect meeting ended, Jamie and Charlie started searching around the train for their friends. Charlie stayed in a compartment with his three younger brothers, while Jamie continued down the train in his own search, removing his glasses for the rest of the journey. He did not see Merula, but he did find Ben and Penny together in a private compartment. Knocking on the door, he opened it and entered, warmly greeted by his friends.  
‘Hi, Jamie!’  
‘How was your summer?’ asked Ben.  
‘Nothing special,’ Jamie lied, and before they could question his somewhat forced expression he asked casually ‘What about you? What did you do?’  
‘I collected potion ingredients all summer, I can’t wait to show you!’ said Penny, ecstatic, making them chuckle at her eagerness for the subject.  
‘I don’t have potion ingredients, but I did map out Knockturn Alley,’ said Ben. He still spoke in a quiet, almost monotone voice, but it sounded more casual than the previous year.  
‘And summer was fantastic!’ added Penny. ‘It felt nice to finally relax after everything that happened last year.’  
‘Sometimes it’s still hard to believe that we found the final Cursed Vault…’ said Ben, seemingly lost in thought.  
Jamie’s face darkened slightly, as he murmured ‘And I sealed Rakepick inside of it.’  
‘She won’t hurt anyone ever again,’ said Ben, as if reassuring Jamie that he had done the right thing.  
Jamie nodded. ‘You’re right, Ben. But-’  
‘Nope. No buts!’ Penny cut him off, shaking her head and grinning widely. ‘Let’s focus on the here and now. We’re going back to Hogwarts, and we don’t have to deal with Cursed Vaults, Rakepick, or R anymore! I’m so excited!’  
‘I can’t believe six years have gone by so fast,’ noted Jamie, almost offhandedly.  
‘Believe it,’ said Ben.  
‘Jamie, what are you most excited about for this year?’ asked Penny happily.  
‘Experiencing new things!’ said Jamie, quickly making something up. The things he was looking forward to the most were not things he would tell them, yet at least. ‘It’s year seven, so it’s time to grow up and explore the world!’  
‘Now you’ve got me excited thinking about exotic potion ingredients that I haven’t tried yet!’ said Penny.  
‘Adulthood sounds like an entirely new adventure,’ agreed Ben. The conversation continued, shifting to career paths and advanced lessons, until the sky darkened and the train began to slow down.

They arrived at Hogsmeade’s train station, and leapt out of the train with the rest of the students, all except the first years marching towards the hundred or so carriages pulled by Thestrals. As they walked, Jamie looked around a few times, hoping to catch a glimpse of Merula, to no avail. While they got on a carriage, they were joined by Barnaby, as cheerful as ever, and they chatted as the carriage started moving.  
‘Sounds like you were all quite busy over the summer!’ said Jamie, after Barnaby had told them about the squirrels he had tried to befriend back at home.  
‘Oh, I almost forgot!’ said Penny suddenly, addressing Jamie. ‘How’s Merula? Did you keep in touch with her over the summer?’  
The question felt like a gut punch to Jamie, and he tried his hardest to hide this fact as he casually said ‘Not really. She’s not the letter-writing type, really.’ Frowning slightly, he curiously asked ‘Why? You haven’t seen her, have you?’  
‘Hmm… you know I don’t think I’ve seen her since the party at the Three Broomsticks,’ said Penny, her smile fading a bit as she wandered through her memories.  
‘I haven’t seen her since then, either,’ commented Ben, a deep look of concentration on his face.  
‘I wrote to her once,’ said Barnaby absentmindedly. ‘She seemed really busy over the summer, she never replied.’  
‘Any idea what she might have been busy with?’ asked Jamie, trying to sound curious and not suspicious.  
Barnaby shrugged. ‘Not a clue, but I’m tired of solving mysteries.’  
‘I agree with Barnaby,’ said Penny.  
‘The last few years have been mystery after mystery,’ complained Barnaby.  
Penny nodded, and said with relief ‘I think I can speak for all of us when I say that we feel unburdened now and would like to keep it that way.’  
Barnaby looked utterly perplexed at her words. ‘How can you speak for all of us? Is that some new kind of spell?’  
‘So, no more Circle of Khanna then?’ asked Jamie, a tinge of sadness in his voice.  
Ben looked at him understandingly, and nodded. ‘Rowan would want us to focus on our final year at Hogwarts.’  
‘Exactly!’ said Penny. ‘Let’s just be friends and classmates again rather than working against Dark witches and wizards.’  
‘It’s more fun being a good guy when there are no bad guys anyway!’ added Barnaby, making the other three laugh. The conversation continued and drifted away from Merula and the Cursed Vaults, and onto their expectations for their seventh year. A new Muggle Studies professor would take over from the previous one who, Penny commented, had taken a sabbatical year according to her sources; and of course there would undoubtedly be a new Defence Against the Dark Arts professor, hopefully a better one than the last, which was a bar set so low it seemed impossible to lower. The carriage bumped and trotted away, and came to a halt before the doors of Hogwarts Castle. The students trooped out and marched into the castle, and into the Great Hall; and Jamie continued to keep an eye out for Merula, still failing to see her anywhere.

He continued his search as subtly as he could while the Sorting Ceremony took place, clapping automatically with the rest of his house each time the hat cried “Slytherin!” and a new young figure joined their table. The last student was Sorted, and the hall went very quiet, waiting for the Headmaster to speak.  
‘Your attention, please, students of Hogwarts…’ said Dumbledore, rising from his seat at the High Table, and smiling at the crowd in front of him. ‘It is with great pleasure that I welcome you to the start of a new year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry…’ he started, and began introducing the two newest members of the staff, but Jamie wasn’t paying attention. Instead, he noticed a seat at the High Table was unoccupied: Snape’s. As he wondered about it, Dumbledore continued his speech.  
‘This new year, as with every other, comes with new opportunities… Knowledge, friendship, and growth chief among them! And, for our seventh-years in particular, through a special arrangement made with some equally special friends around the world: the opportunity to explore various wizarding professions off the school grounds! To be sure, this will be a year like no other… but there will be more on that later.’  
The Headmaster’s tone shifted slightly, taking on a more serious note. ‘The losses suffered last year were devastating, but for now… Let us look towards the future, learn from the past, and move forward with the memories of our loved ones! Now, I do believe it is time to enjoy each other’s company and begin this magnificent Welcome Feast.’  
He clapped twice, and the golden plates and cups were filled with food and drinks, and the newest students gasped in awe at the sight. With the clinking of cutlery, the feast began proper. Sitting with Jamie were Barnaby and Liz, talking eagerly about creatures, and the possibility of exploring the career of Magizoology. Jamie chimed in from time to time, though his attention was diverted when two figures walked into the hall, one towering over the other.

Snape was accompanying an annoyed-looking Merula into the Great Hall, and most eyes turned to see them, though most people ignored it, assuming it was just a student being late to the feast for whatever reason. Merula joined Ismelda on the Slytherin Table, while Snape walked to the High Table to take his place. Jamie, unlike the other students, still had his eyes locked on the brunette, frowning slightly. She noticed his stare from a dozen seats across, and looked back at him, almost challengingly. He tilted his head with a questioning look, noticeably tapping his watch with his forefinger. In reply, she rolled her eyes and made a rude hand gesture, that thankfully went unnoticed by the staff; and Jamie went back to the conversation with Barnaby and Liz, a bit more at ease now he knew where Merula was.

Even being back at Hogwarts, with all of his friends, Jamie felt more alone than ever. No one seemed interested in searching for R anymore, all feeling safe at last; and he had no one he could talk to about it. The only person whom he might have relied on in such an eventuality was precisely the one that was a spy for R, so she was out of the question. And besides, even if he had wanted to talk to her during the first days of school, he only saw Merula during the classes they shared, as she seemed to disappear immediately after leaving the classroom; quite an achievement given that they were in the same house. Was she avoiding him? It seemed unusual, given that her task was to make him join R; and more so given their past together. Wouldn’t she fear he would suspect her? Or perhaps she expected him to turn a blind eye to her erratic behaviour, as he had done so many times in the past? Jamie asked a couple of times some of his friends if they knew why she always seemed to be missing, and even a few other classmates, under the guise of a concerned Head Boy. There was still one person, however, whom Jamie could write to about his worries. On the third day back at Hogwarts, he wrote a letter to Jacob:  
“ _Jacob,  
I’m back at Hogwarts, and so far nothing has gone wrong, though it may be a bit too soon to say. I haven’t confronted the problem I talked to you about yet, and to be honest it’s still a bit painful. I haven’t told anyone else about it, and no one else seemed to care to know either. And, as if that wasn’t enough, I don’t have anyone to talk to about this at Hogwarts. All my friends want to put R behind them, and the circle is broken. It’s a good thing I still have you and Mad-Eye to talk about this; otherwise I think I would go mad._

_On another topic, classes are going well, though a bit overwhelming. Dumbledore mentioned that seventh-years could explore wizarding careers outside of school, and almost everyone is buzzing about it._

_Hope you’re doing well.  
Jamie  
PS: Any advice, yours or Moody’s, would be appreciated, as well as any news._”

Jacob’s response was surprisingly quick, the owl Jamie had sent the day before delivering returning with the reply the next morning, which Jamie read right after breakfast.   
“ _Pip,  
I’ve shared your issues and news with Moody, and we both agree: you should not confront the problem yet, keep the advantage for now. I know it must be hard, but remain steadfast. As for R, Moody says they’re growing and more active than ever. Whatever they want didn’t end with the Cursed Vaults._

_Regarding your friends, I’m truly sorry you have to go through this; and remember that you can always count on me or Moody to talk about this. He mentioned it’s an unfortunate side effect of taking on the mantle of a protector, and suggested that you try finding someone at Hogwarts you’ve never talked to before, but don’t reveal what’s going on. That way you can have someone besides us to sound things out with, and without burdening the friends you’re trying to protect with the information you told us._

_On a happier note, I’m glad your lessons are going well. The career path exploration sounds certainly exciting, and Moody commented that he imagines Dumbledore will want you to check out the Ministry of Magic. Don’t ask why, he wouldn’t tell._

_Take care, Pip, and let us know if you find out anything new.  
Jacob  
PS: Constant vigilance, says Moody; and I’m always a _Vermillious_ away._”

Jacob’s letter gave Jamie some thought. Moody’s advice seemed sound, and Jamie didn’t doubt the old Auror had had similar experiences. Folding the letter and pocketing it, Jamie prepared for his next class, which happened to be History of Magic, while mulling over who he could turn to that he had never talked to about the vaults. And, almost like a slap, the answer hit him in the face as soon as he entered the classroom.

Class hadn’t started, as in his ponderings he had arrived a quarter of an hour early, yet most of the few brave souls who still attended History of Magic were already there, gathered around the front of the classroom, some sitting on the surrounding desks or chairs and others just standing up. The student they were all centred around was the Head Girl, Corey Hayden, who was casually sitting on Binn’s desk. One of the students of the small crowd turned to Jamie when the Slytherin arrived, smiling and taking a couple of steps to meet him. For some reason Jamie had not yet understood, Tulip was still taking the class at N.E.W.T. level, and she greeted him by jabbing a finger to the new badge. ‘Look out, it’s Head Boy James Smith!’ Pointing with her head to the small group around Corey, she said with a smirk ‘Class isn’t even in session yet, and we’ve got a crowd going.’  
‘Yeah, I can see that. What’s everyone doing here so early?’  
‘They’re listening to Corey talk about some Dark wizard,’ said Tulip. Leaning a bit closer, and patting her robe’s pocket, she added in a whisper ‘I’m just here because Dennis likes Corey.’  
‘Which Dark wizard is she talking about?’ asked Jamie, curious.  
Corey seemed to hear him, as she turned her head to look directly at them and said proudly, loud enough for them to hear, ‘Since I’m the expert on all things wizarding history and pop culture… And we all know Professor Binns is going to fall asleep…’ A chuckle erupted through her audience, and she continued ‘…today I have decided to recount the spine-chilling tale of a famous Dark wizard for your benefit. Now, allow me to regale you with the story of Emeric the Evil!’  
‘I just hope she doesn’t set off the Dungbomb I put under Binns’ desk,’ whispered Tulip to Jamie, as Corey began talking about Emeric’s rise to power. ‘Then again, I would still consider that a successful prank.’

Corey’s tale was short and to the point, a far cry from Binn’s long tirades. By the time she had finished, there were still five minutes left before class, and she advised everyone to start sitting down. Jamie took the opportunity to approach her, friendlily commenting ‘That was a pretty informative primer on Emeric the Evil, Corey. He certainly sounds like a Dark wizard who was hungry for power and I find that interesting.’  
Corey’s easy smile grew, as she said gratefully ‘I’m glad you liked it! I consider myself a wizarding history and pop culture expert because, let’s face it, I am. And, of course, I knew Binns would likely fall asleep during his lecture on Emeric the Evil, so… Here I am!’ she said, opening her arms wide to emphasise her sentence.  
‘Actually, I was hoping to ask you a little more about Emeric the Evil’s motivations?’ asked Jamie, who found the topic hit close to home.  
‘Well, no one ever really recorded his exact motivations, but my best guess is it was for power and control,’ said Corey, thoughtful.  
‘But what would drive someone to turn towards evil for power and control?’ questioned Jamie, finding he enjoyed the conversation more than he’d expected.  
‘Not everything is so black and white, Jamie,’ Corey pointed out. ‘Maybe he did it to avenge a fallen family member. Maybe it was for previous injustices. Maybe he thought if he had total power and control, he could shape the world into something better.’  
‘I see…’ murmured Jamie, nodding slightly.  
‘It sounds like you might be working on a book report!’ commented Corey, interested. ‘I’d be happy to keep talking to you about it.’  
‘Oh… That would be fantastic, Corey!’ said Jamie cheerfully. He had no book report to write, but he would not turn down the opportunity to continue the conversation.  
‘Although, I have to ask, why are you so interested in his motivations specifically?’ asked Corey, a curious look on her face.  
‘I think you’re a good storyteller, Corey!’ quickly said Jamie. It technically wasn’t a full lie; she was quite good in his opinion. ‘I’d like to hear some more of what you have to say.’  
‘Oh, thank you, Jamie!’ Corey looked elated that someone wanted to talk more in-depth about the subject. ‘I think writing about Dark witches and wizards’ motivations in your report will make it super interesting!’  
‘Thanks, Corey. It was nice talking to you.’  
Corey nodded in appreciation, and sat down at her desk. Jamie sat down as well at his own desk, and he was unpacking his class supplies when a voice behind him startled him.  
‘I heard you’ve been looking for me, Jamie?’  
Jamie felt his face drain for a second, before he turned around with a more composed and friendly face. ‘Merula! Nice to see you too. Haven’t seen you much around,’ he said, looking into the violet eyes he had feared to confront for three months.  
‘And I’m ready to talk. Something specific on your mind?’ she asked, but before Jamie could answer the ghostly shape of Cuthbert Binns walked through the blackboard, and Merula whispered ‘On second thought, wake me up when the bore is finished, and we’ll talk.’

As boring as Binn’s lesson was, Jamie never had the urge to go to sleep like Merula. His mind was buzzing with conflicting thoughts, wondering what he would ask her once class was over, and how he would ask… if he should even ask. He would not reveal that he knew about her betrayal, that much was clear to him. But how should he try to hide his suspicions from her? Acting as if they were still a couple, perhaps? Were they still a couple at all? They had never, technically, ended the relationship. Perhaps Merula would expect them to pick up from where they left off? That was a tempting thought for Jamie, as it would mean a return to something resembling normality; even if he knew she would eventually try to make him join R. The more he mulled over it, the more sense it made to do exactly that: pick up where they left off. After all, Moody was expecting Jamie to find more about Merula; why not this way?

The class came to an end eventually, and the bell woke those that had fallen asleep. The students began to walk out of the classroom, and among them Jamie and Merula continued their conversation, walking side by side.  
‘Now you can ask me your questions in person,’ said Merula with a sly smile. ‘You know, instead of trying to get information from other people, like it seems you’ve been doing ever since we got back.’  
Jamie smirked, commenting ‘Well, you’ve been a bit hard to find, Merula.’   
‘Careful, Smith, or I’ll start to think you actually missed me. Anyway, I’m here now.’  
‘All right… Why don’t you tell me about your summer then, Merula?’  
‘That’s what you want to know about?’ asked Merula, eyes widening. She snickered, shaking her head. ‘How mundane! My summer was really quite… average.’  
‘What, you just studied and trained the whole time?’  
Merula gave him a weird look, raising an eyebrow. ‘Summer seems to have made you quite sceptical.’  
‘It’s just…’ Jamie quickly tried to put into words his thoughts, pointing out ‘…you seem to be in a better mood than usual.’  
‘I suppose you’re right,’ agreed Merula with a calm smile. Almost mindlessly, her hand searched for Jamie’s, and their fingers intertwined. ‘I feel… better these days,’ she confessed, looking truly happy. ‘Rakepick is suffering for her crimes. My revenge is complete. Now I can focus on something much more important…’ she added, her smile turning cheekier.  
‘Oh? And what would that be?’  
‘Continuing to prove I’m the Most Powerful Witch at Hogwarts, by becoming even more powerful.’  
Jamie couldn’t help but chuckle at the answer. ‘Well, I suppose some things never change.’  
‘Facts never change, Jamie. I’ll always strive to be more powerful.’ She stopped in front of him, jabbing a finger in his chest with her unoccupied hand. ‘I think it’s only fair that you answer one of my questions, since I answered yours.’  
Jamie shrugged. ‘All right, I suppose that makes sense.’  
‘Why are you suddenly so curious about how I spent my time over the summer?’  
‘It’s not sudden,’ said Jamie, in an overly offended manner to hide his real reasons. ‘I’m always interested in your summer, Merula. You’re important to me,’ he said with a smile, gently squeezing her hand to emphasise the point.  
A slight blush formed on her cheeks, and she gave a small scoff, looking away. ‘Tell you what… since you’re so interested in what I’ve been up to this summer… Why don’t I show you? We’ll have a friendly duel.’  
‘When has a duel between us ever been friendly?’ asked Jamie playfully, while wondering internally if she had learned new tricks or tactics from R. A duel seemed like the perfect way to subtly answer such a question, even a “friendly” one.  
‘Like I said, I feel different,’ said Merula, looking determinedly at him. ‘So this one will be, I promise.’

On the next free period they had together, they headed to the Duelling Club, and a small and curious crowd watched as the two infamous students placed themselves opposite of each other, tension in the air. ‘Are you ready?’ asked Jamie, taking out his wand and pointing it forwards.  
‘Don’t I look ready?’ asked Merula, yet she had made no move for her wand. She simply stood, quite calmly, a dozen feet in front of Jamie. At her partner’s questioning look, she said ‘Worry about yourself, Smith.’  
‘Okay…’ muttered Jamie, worry starting to grow on him. ‘Then show me what exactly you’ve been up to over summer!’  
‘With pleasure. _Flipendo!_ ’ she yelled, an open palm raised towards Jamie.  
There was a loud _bang_ , and Jamie reacted too slowly, shocked by the display before him. The bright light soared under his arm, striking his chest and roughly throwing him on his back. He groaned as he stood up, wondering aloud ‘Was that wandless magic?’  
‘I told you, I’ve been studying,’ said Merula happily, walking to him.  
‘That’s not the kind of “studying” I was anticipating,’ admitted Jamie, rubbing his pained back.  
‘Seems to be what the people want to see, though,’ said Merula, looking around the small crowd of impressed students. ‘And that’s what you’re in for when we actually duel. So looks like you better study up quick on wandless magic…’ she said, grinning. ‘Unless you want to lose against me for the first time.’


	2. Of wandless magic and detectives

Merula’s display of wandless magic repeated from time to time for seemingly trivial tasks, like retrieving objects that were slightly out of reach, or to light or put out candles. And it began to drive Jamie slightly mad, as for perhaps the first time in years, he felt envious of her abilities. And almost as shocking as finding out she was able to do such magic was the fact that she didn’t seem outwardly smug about it; though Jamie held the opinion that this was her new way of being smug. Studying wandless magic became his obsession for the next days, an obsession that found its first obstacle when he went to the school’s library and asked Madam Pince for any books on the subject. She refused to allow him into the restricted section, the only place where such books where kept, without a teacher’s permission; and scolded him when he tried to lie saying it was for a school project. Defeated, Jamie sat down in a table to study, feeling Pince’s eyes on him for a while. Or at least, he pretended to study, throwing sideways glances at the restricted section from time to time and forming a plan to sneak in. So entranced was he, that he was startled by a soft voice.  
‘Trying to study up for your duel with Merula, I see.’  
Jamie looked up from the open book he had not touched in a while, and saw Corey Hayden looking down at him with friendly eyes. ‘Has the news made its way through the rumour mill that quickly?’ Jamie asked with a groan.  
‘When it involves you?’ said Corey sarcastically, sitting down in front of Jamie. ‘Yes. I wonder if this duel will be up there with the greats…’ she said, dreamily looking into the distance.  
‘The… greats?’  
‘Dumbledore versus Grindelwald, Toothill versus Wiblin, Emeric the Evil versus Egbert the Egregious…’ listed Corey, trying to keep her voice down despite her obvious excitement. ‘Some of the greatest duels ever witnessed by wizarding kind!’  
‘I don’t think my duel with Merula will be that interesting,’ said Jamie dismissively.  
‘If both of you use wandless magic during your duel, it will be.’  
‘Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem like I’ll be learning anything about wandless magic anytime soon,’ said Jamie, throwing a nasty look at Madam Pince that, thankfully, went unnoticed by the librarian.  
‘Not so fast! Who needs a book when you have me, a walking wizarding encyclopaedia?’ said Corey with a smirk.  
‘All right, I’ll give you a chance,’ said Jamie. ‘What do you know about wandless magic?’  
‘Well, a bit,’ said Corey more seriously. ‘Wands were a European invention, so there are regions of the world where wandless magic is considered the norm. In Uagadou, Africa, for example, students prefer wandless magic. It also gives them a great excuse when casting magic in front of Muggles, by claiming it was an accident. Also, wandless magic can have unexpected or volatile results if not done properly. Witches and wizards that use wands can rarely perform reliable wandless magic.’  
‘Right…’ said Jamie. ‘The thing is… I need to actually learn wandless magic, not just hear about it.’  
‘Knowing the general theory behind something can help you to better execute it,’ defended Corey, just before lighting up and snapping her fingers. ‘Luckily for you, though, I have an idea! The best wandless magic users are just below our feet.’  
‘Below our feet? What do you mean?’ asked Jamie, but Corey didn’t reply, instead taking out her wand and aiming at a book a few tables away.  
‘ _Bombarda!_ ’ she whispered, hiding the incantation as a sneeze.  
‘Oh, no…’ muttered Jamie, as the book was blasted apart, and he felt the wrath of the librarian that was rushing towards them.  
‘All part of the plan, Jamie.’  
‘What is the meaning of this, Miss Hayden?!’ asked Madam Pince, shaking with anger. ‘Mr Smith?!’  
‘I’m so sorry, Madam Pince,’ said Corey, her face falling in shame.  
‘ _If that’s an act, it’s a pretty good one,_ ’ thought Jamie.   
‘We were just-’ tried to say Jamie, but the librarian cut across him, as she berated them.  
‘I expected better of the Head Boy and Head Girl. I’ve no choice but to send you both to detention in the Kitchens. Now please leave my library!’  
Once out in the corridors, heading for detention, Jamie asked ‘Corey, why would you-?’  
‘Like I said, all part of the plan, Jamie,’ said Corey with a smirk. ‘Detention is in the kitchens, and house-elves work in the kitchens, and what kind of magic do the house-elves use?’

After tickling the pear in the painting that concealed the entrance to the kitchens and passing through, Jamie noted ‘Well, your plan to get us sent to detention definitely worked, Corey.’  
‘Making sandwiches isn’t so bad, Jamie,’ said Corey, as they got to their stations and began preparing the food items with almost automated movements.  
‘I beg to differ,’ said a voice near them. Jae Kim, as usual, was there, serving his umpteenth detention. ‘I’ve been in detention almost every day for six years now and making sandwiches is tedious.’  
‘I thought cooking was your passion, Jae?’ asked Jamie jokingly.  
‘Making sandwiches is not cooking,’ insisted Jae, as he sliced a loaf of bread. ‘I stand by my statement that making sandwiches is tedious.’  
‘You think everything is tedious, Jae,’ countered Jamie.  
‘What can I say?’ shrugged Jae. ‘I’d rather not work than work.’  
‘I think working in the kitchens is fun!’ said Corey, making Jae raise an eyebrow.  
‘Is that why you got the two of you sent here, Corey?’  
‘No. Jamie wanted to learn wandless magic.’  
‘I just hope your plan works, Corey,’ said Jamie apprehensively.  
‘Wandless magic? Why would you-?’ started Jae, but his puzzled expression turned into realization. ‘Your duel with Merula. You want to use wandless magic against her.’ Jamie nodded, and Jae turned to the Head Girl. ‘Right, but… making sandwiches in detention isn’t exactly learning wandless magic, Corey.’  
‘You’re right, but it gives us access to some of the most accomplished users of wandless magic: house-elves!’ explained Corey.  
‘That’s right, house-elves use wandless and non-verbal magic,’ confirmed Jamie.  
‘And yet we’re the ones who have to make sandwiches,’ muttered Jae spitefully.  
‘House-elf magic is so much more powerful than just making sandwiches!’ argued Corey. ‘They can snap their fingers and make something happen from sheer will and intent.’  
‘That sounds pretty neat,’ admitted Jamie.  
‘Yeah, neat,’ said Jae, disinterested. ‘But, I think something more important needs to be discussed… How are you feeling about your upcoming duel with Merula?’  
‘I…’ Jamie said, trying to define his current state. ‘I feel… nervous. I’ve never lost to Merula before… until now.’  
‘I’d be nervous too, if I were you,’ agreed Jae. ‘Merula doesn’t always play fair.’  
‘I know she doesn’t,’ said Jamie with a small sigh. ‘That’s why I’ve got to learn as much as I can about wandless magic.’  
‘And hopefully Pitts can help you,’ added Corey.  
‘You didn’t say we were going to ask Pitts for help!’ protested Jamie. ‘There’s no way he’ll help me!’  
‘He might,’ said Jae. ‘Pitts isn’t all bad. Unfortunately, he’s busy yelling at some of the other house-elves about something.’  
‘Pitts is the best house-elf to learn from, so we’ll just have to wait for him to be done… yelling,’ said Corey, looking at the fat house-elf in question.  
‘I suppose so…’ said Jamie, focusing on the sandwiches he was making.  
As usual, his mind didn’t take too long to start thinking about his problems, and his silence must have been telling, because after about a minute of silence Corey asked ‘Something else on your mind, James?’  
‘Um, well…’ said Jamie, blinking a few times, feeling as if he’d just woken up from a stupor.  
‘I could regale you with stories from the wizarding world, if you’d like,’ offered the Head Girl.  
‘In that case…’ said Jamie, trying to follow Moody’s advice. ‘Do you have any stories about good wizards going bad, Corey?’  
‘Oh, sure!’ said Corey, starting a long monologue about the subject.  
Jamie forgot most names immediately after, but he noticed a pattern in many stories, and pointed it out when Corey finished one of her tales. ‘Seems like betrayal is a big theme in wizards going bad.’  
‘I feel betrayed having to make all these sandwiches, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to be a Dark wizard,’ murmured Jae.  
‘That’s because you’ve got good morals, Jae,’ said Jamie. ‘For the most part, at least.’  
‘Don’t forget that morality is a grey area, Jamie,’ said Corey, frowning slightly. ‘No one is born bad and no one is born good. But, I think you’re right, Jae’s mostly got good morals.’  
‘At least you two think so,’ said Jae with a sly smirk. ‘I’ve got to say, though, you made a lot of good points, Corey. Ones I’ll be keeping in mind for the future.’  
‘Corey’s like a wizarding history genius or something,’ said Jamie, feeling a tinge of sadness at the thought that the only other friend of his that could be described that way had been Rowan.  
‘I am, indeed, a wizarding history and pop culture aficionado.’  
‘Humble, too, aren’t you?’ said Jae, looking at her suspiciously, and stopping his sandwich making. ‘Why do you know so much, anyway?’  
‘Well, I…’ For the first time since Jamie had met her, Corey seemed out of words, stammering ‘It… helps me.’  
‘Helps you with what, exactly?’ Jae pressed on, but Jamie intervened.  
‘Oh, come off it, Jae. Leave Corey alone. We’ve got bigger things to worry about.’  
‘We do?’ asked Corey confusedly. ‘There’s no need for you to worry, James. You’re just going to duel a friend… Or is this for your report on Dark wizard and witches motivations?’  
Corey’s expression looked friendly, but Jamie noticed something else behind it, realising he’d made a mistake in his wording: suspicion. Before he could think of an answer, however, a hoarse voice interrupted their conversation.  
‘What is this? Why have Jae Kim, Corey Hayden, and James Smith stopped working?’  
‘Pitts! Just the house-elf I was hoping to see!’ said Corey happily.  
Pitts gave Corey a weird look, like the Head Girl was a lunatic on the run. ‘What could Corey Hayden possibly want from Pitts?’  
‘Well, Pitts…’ said Jamie, and the house-elf turned to look at him. ‘I was hoping you could teach me wandless magic?’  
‘Pitts teach? Teachers are for teaching. Pitts is no teacher, and Pitts does not teach students!’  
‘That’s not exactly true,’ argued Jae reasonably. ‘You taught me how to make these sandwiches.’  
‘I could work faster if I could just levitate the bread onto multiple sandwiches!’ offered Jamie.  
‘You could streamline the whole process, Pitts!’ Corey finished.  
‘Streamline, Corey Hayden says?’ said Pitts, stroking his double chin.  
‘You could get more sandwiches made in the same amount of time,’ explained Jae.  
‘Pitts is thinking…’ said Pitts, shushing them. ‘All right, Pitts is done thinking.’ Pitts looked at Jamie, and ordered ‘First, look at the bread and do not question Pitts.’  
Jamie did as he was told, and looked at the loaf in front of him.  
‘Focus on bread where James Smith thinks wand tip would be,’ heard Jamie from Pitts, and he raised his hand and pointed a finger to simulate his wand.   
‘Now what?’ asked Jamie.  
‘James Smith performs the Levitation Charm.’  
‘ _Wingardium Leviosa!_ ’ said Jamie, swishing and flicking his finger over the bread, and focusing with all his might on making it float. The loaf stirred, almost lazily, and slowly rose an inch over the table before falling back on it. Jamie noticed his forehead had started to sweat from the effort, and sighed. ‘I couldn’t do it…’  
‘James Smith did better than Pitts expected on first attempt,’ congratulated Pitts, before ordering them to get back to work and walking away to check on other students in detention and house-elves.  
‘It was worth a try, Jamie,’ said Jae encouragingly. ‘Who knows, I might be expelled at some point and get my wand broken. Then I’d really need wandless magic.’  
‘A broken wand…’ repeated Jamie, reminded of the two broken wands that sat on a shelf, back at home.  
‘You look like you’ve got an idea, Jamie,’ noted Corey cheerily, as Jamie’s eyes widened.  
‘I do, and I know just who to meet,’ said Jamie, thinking ‘ _Hopefully Jacob will be able to help me out!_ ’

Red sparks flew from Jamie’s wand high into the air, illuminating the lake shore around it. Sneaking out of the castle was child’s play to Jamie, though walking for a couple miles in the dead of night through the rocky terrain was still tiring and boring, and he was glad he had reached the spot at last. He didn’t have to wait long for Jacob to appear suddenly, as he usually did. ‘Well, if it isn’t my favourite little brother!’  
‘Were you expecting someone else?’ asked Jamie jokingly.  
‘I just like reminding you that you’re my favourite,’ quipped Jacob. ‘How goes the hunt for a new friend?’  
‘I think I’ve found someone,’ admitted Jamie. ‘I haven’t told her what I’m really up to, but she thinks all my questions are because I’m writing an essay.’  
‘Clever,’ Jacob said, smiling proudly. ‘I knew you’d find someone.’  
‘There’s actually another reason why I wanted to meet, besides that,’ said Jamie, turning more serious. ‘Tell me, after you broke your first wand, did you learn wandless magic?’  
‘Wandless magic? That’s not quite what I was expecting… But yes, I went wandless for a while.’  
‘Would you teach me? I found out that Merula learned wandless magic during the summer. And now she wants to duel.’  
‘I see…’ Jacob frowned and commented ‘Merula learning wandless magic is worrying, and lends credence to her joining R. Wandless magic is difficult to learn… but, then again, you already know a little.’  
It was Jamie’s turn to frown. ‘I do?’  
‘Children perform wandless magic when they’re underage. They don’t usually have control of it. One time you sneezed and shattered one of mum’s tea sets,’ Jacob reminisced with a smile.  
‘I don’t remember that at all…’  
‘Really? She thought I had done it… until it happened again a few weeks later, but with a vase,’ noted Jacob, laughing a bit. ‘I was at school by then, so it obviously wasn’t me.’  
Jamie laughed at the story as well, pointing out ‘Sounds like I was a destructive child.’  
‘Not always. You once laughed a flower back to life. Mum was pretty pleased about that one. But, if you want to try learning wandless magic for real, then let’s start practising.’

Jacob made him levitate some stones, like Pitts had made him do with the bread, all the while correcting Jamie’s motions and giving some tips and advice.  
‘Looks like you’re getting the hang of it!’ praised Jacob when Jamie made a rock a few yards away rise about a foot off the ground before falling back. ‘Remember to keep your wrists loose and mind focused. Now, cast _Depulso_ on that rock.’  
‘ _Depulso!_ ’ Jamie cried, extending his open palm towards the rock. The rock moved slightly, and rolled backwards once. ‘Well… better than when I tried in the kitchens,’ noted Jamie, feeling extremely tired.  
‘Wandless magic is very difficult. Lots of witches and wizards can’t even perform it,’ said Jacob, trying to comfort him.  
‘I know I’ll get it eventually,’ said Jamie with determination. ‘It’s just a matter of time and practice.’  
‘Exactly right, Jamie. Soon you’ll be wandlessly banishing rocks left and right.’  
‘I sure hope so. Especially since the time is soon…’  
‘Rakepick taught me wandless magic, you know,’ said Jacob darkly. ‘And you know how dangerous she was. Please be careful, James. Don’t do this until you’re ready.’

Ready or not, the day of the duel approached fast, and word was out in the corridors of the impending fight. Almost everyone in their year, and many students in lower years, knew about it. Merula seemed to thrive in the tension leading up to the duel, and the attention from her peers; while Jamie felt sick at the slightest mention of what was, as far as he was concerned, his impending doom. He did keep practising wandless magic and even managed to get the grasp on a few basic spells, getting slightly better with each try. Ironically, Merula never directly spoke about the matter whenever they studied or ate together, but her casual displays of wandless magic still felt like purposeful jabs. Not that this issue was at the forefront of Jamie’s mind whenever they were together; he had not forgotten her promise to R, and was still on the lookout for any suspicious behaviour while acting normally around her. She still behaved with unusual confidence and calmness, though her tongue was sharp as ever any time they bantered. 

The afternoon they had agreed on for the duel arrived, and they headed to the Duelling Club again, this time with a much larger crowd of about twenty with them. Penny, Ben, Andre and Tulip were among the crowd, as was Ismelda and a worried-looking Corey.   
‘I hope you’ve come prepared for our wandless duel, Smith,’ said Merula, getting into possition.  
‘I’ve studied up and been practising, if that’s what you’re asking.’  
‘That’s good to hear, especially since our friendly sparring session seems to have drawn quite the crowd,’ said Merula, her eyes flickering over some of the faces around them. ‘You were so interested in what I’ve been doing since the end of last year… Now’s your chance to show me how quick of a study you are.’  
‘You’re right,’ agreed Jamie, adopting a sideways combative stance. ‘Let’s duel!’  
Merula mirrored him, raising her hands to chest-level with the palms open. A tense second passed, just before a burst of light erupted from Merula’s hand. ‘ _Depulso!_ ’  
‘ _Flipendo!_ ’ yelled Jamie, running out of the way of Merula’s Banishing Charm. A weak jet of yellow light shot from his fingers, hitting Merula’s thigh and making her lose her footing.  
‘ _Incarcerous!_ ’ cried Merula desperately as she tripped; but her aim was off, and the ropes that were conjured from her hand missed Jamie and wrapped around a suit of armour behind him.  
‘ _Depulso!_ ’  
Merula was flung backwards, falling roughly on the stone floor, but she got back up quickly and raised again her hands. ‘ _Flipendo! Stupefy!_ ’  
Twin jets of light soared from her hands, and Jamie did an awkward sidestep to avoid them, like an awkward dance move. ‘ _Incarcerous!_ ’ he tried, imitating her hand movements from earlier, and thin silvery cords erupted from his hands and flew towards Merula.  
She tried to move out of the way, but too late: the ropes wrapped around her left arm and torso. Unluckily for Jamie, her right hand was still free, and raised against him as the ropes held her. ‘ _Immobulus!_ ’  
Jamie was frozen as he tried to avoid the spell, painfully falling on the floor like a toppled statue, unable to move from his previous mid-step stance. ‘I… guess I lost,’ conceded Jamie with a groan, unable to move anything other than his face.  
‘Not used to the feeling of losing, are you Smith?’ said Merula after removing her bindings, kneeling next to him to meet eye to eye. ‘You put up a good fight, though,’ she said, smiling. ‘Consider me impressed. _Finite!_ ’  
Jamie was unfrozen, and sat on the ground, exhausted. The crowd began dispersing with the duel ended. ‘You’re being awfully… nice about winning,’ Jamie noted, breathing heavily.  
‘I told you, I’ve been in a good mood lately,’ said Merula, sitting a bit closer to him.  
‘I think it’s more than just “a good mood”, Merula,’ Jamie commented. ‘You’re acting very… not Merula-like. Like you’ve discovered something… new.’  
‘Oh?’ Merula laughed. ‘Your suspicions are unfounded, of course, but… I’m in such a good mood that I’ll tell you how you can improve your wandless duelling.’  
Jamie was taken aback. ‘Why would you help me?’  
Merula shrugged. ‘I’d like my win to be fair and square. It’s no fun duelling you if we’re not at the same skill level.’  
‘That… makes sense, I guess.’  
‘Anyway, let me help you out.’  
‘All right, now you’re just acting bizarre.’  
‘Am I?’ Merula laughed again, louder than before. Calming down, she said ‘Just listen… Every wand is unique to its owner, right? No two wands are exactly the same.’  
Jamie nodded. ‘That’s what Ollivander says, yeah.’  
‘If every wand is unique to its owner, then so is wandless magic. It’s unique to you, the caster. What works for me or someone else may not work for you.’  
Jamie mulled over her words, nodding again. ‘I didn’t think of it like that. Everyone else has been telling me to focus on where my wand should be…’  
‘Try finding something else to focus on,’ suggested Merula. ‘What’s something that helps you focus, Jamie? Could be a person close to you, a place you call home…?’  
Jamie took a moment to think of an answer, and admitted ‘My bond with Jacob helps me focus.’  
Merula’s smile changed slightly, turning almost nostalgic, as she agreed. ‘A familial relationship is always a good focus.’ She stood up, and said ‘Now that you’ve got your focus, try casting a spell wandlessly.’  
‘Here goes nothing,’ said Jamie, standing up as well. Raising his palm forwards towards Merula, he drew focus from his memories with Jacob. ‘ _Flipendo!_ ’  
A bright light shone for a second, shoving Merula back and making her fall over. ‘Looks like you’ve done it…’ she groaned, standing up.  
Jamie smiled, offering a hand. ‘I couldn’t have done it without your help, Merula.’  
‘I’m happy to have helped,’ she said, returning the smile and accepting the hand to stand up. ‘Look, I’ve no reason to give you bad advice.’  
‘I’m still just shocked you helped me,’ said Jamie teasingly.  
‘Maybe I’ve changed,’ said Merula flatly, her face changing for a moment to a more serious one.  
Jamie nodded, partially agreeing with her. ‘I suppose you have, Merula.’  
‘I’m glad you think so,’ said Merula with a grin, before walking towards the exit of the room while saying playfully ‘I look forward to our next duel.’

The last stragglers of the crowd left the Duelling Club as well, though Jamie remained in the room a few more moments, still tired. ‘Merula seems pretty powerful,’ he heard Corey say.  
Jamie nodded, noticing that they were the only people in the chamber. ‘That’s what I’m worried about,’ he mindlessly muttered.  
‘So…’ said Corey, lowering her voice to a whisper. ‘Should we talk about the fact that the Dark witch you’ve been “researching” is actually Merula Snyde?’  
Jamie fell silent, looking at the Gryffindor girl with a puzzled look. Sighing, he tried to say ‘Corey-’  
‘Not here,’ said Corey, beckoning Jamie to follow her. Jamie did so, and as they walked silently through the damp dungeon corridors his mind raced for convincing excuses to make Corey’s suspicions disappear. Corey led him to an empty and dusty classroom, and she locked the door after they both entered it. ‘Don’t bother trying to come up with a cover, Jamie,’ Corey demanded immediately. ‘I know something’s up between you and Merula.’  
‘Well, we’re not just rivals,’ said Jamie, trying to keep a confused expression. ‘You do know we’re-?’  
‘I don’t mean that,’ Corey said bluntly. ‘It’s obvious you suspect her of something. You’ve been snooping around asking about where she’s been all summer. You think it’s suspicious that she’s been in a good mood and, frankly, I agree with you.’  
‘She’s not acting like herself at all! I was just curious…’ argued Jamie.  
‘And you won’t accept her answer of “feeling different”. You keep pushing the issue, like you’re trying to get to the bottom of something,’ continued Corey. As she spoke, Jamie shook his head slightly, as if in disbelief of the accusations, but Corey insisted. ‘I also asked around about classes doing reports on Dark witches and wizards. There aren’t any.’  
‘To be fair, you’re the one who suggested I was working on a report,’ Jamie defended himself. ‘I just didn’t… correct you.’  
Corey gave out a small chuckle. ‘I suppose that’s fair… Oh, and just now, your duel with Merula? You were far too worried about it for a so-called “friendly duel”.’  
Jamie went silent again, his eyes narrowing as he inspected Corey’s round face. It was clear that lying was not a choice in this instance; she had corralled him with her deductions. ‘Perhaps I should’ve given you more credit, Corey,’ said Jamie, somewhat coldly, and dropping the act.  
‘Definitely,’ said Corey, smiling slightly. ‘I’m Head Girl for a reason, and it’s not just because I’m popular.’  
‘Corey-’  
‘Let me finish, Jamie. People often think I’m just a goofy joker, but there’s more to me than that. And I’d…’ Corey began fidgeting, shyly saying ‘… I’d really like to show people that I’m more than just… facts and jokes. So, I’d like to help you. With Merula.’  
Jamie’s forehead creased as they locked eyes. ‘You want to… help me?’ he asked, bewildered. ‘You’re not angry with me?’  
‘Why would I be angry about solving a new mystery?’ asked Corey with a grin. ‘I mean; this is the opportunity of a lifetime!’  
Jamie was genuinely puzzled by Corey’s behaviour. ‘I’m not sure what you mean by that, Corey.’  
‘We can be wizard detectives! Like Detective Copper Conebush and Auror Kit Persimmons!’  
‘I’m sorry, who?’  
‘From “The Detective Files of Conebush and Persimmons”?’ said Corey, a bit deflated. ‘You know, the greatest wizard detective series… ever!?’  
Jamie shrugged. ‘That’s not ringing a bell, Corey.’  
‘Um, like… Alastor Moody?’ tried the Head Girl, to greater success.  
Jamie scoffed, commenting ‘I’m not sure how much Mad-Eye would like being called a wizard detective.’  
‘Mad-Eye? Did you just call him Mad-Eye?’ asked Corey, a bit shocked by Jamie’s familiarity.  
‘Yes, he told me to.’  
Corey’s face practically beamed, as she clapped her hands together in excitement. ‘I can’t believe you know Mad-Eye Moody! That makes this so much more exciting!’  
‘Calm down, Corey…’  
‘Oh, sorry! Sometimes I get carried away. What were we talking about…? Oh right, the fact that you’re totally suspicious of Merula!’  
‘Yes, that’s right.’  
‘Well, there’s only one solution then… We team up like Detective Conebush and Auror Persimmons!’  
‘You… you really want to team up?’ asked Jamie warningly. ‘It could be dangerous!’  
‘Jamie, the entire world is dangerous. I could walk out to the Quidditch Pitch and get hit with a bludger.’  
‘Well, you do make a solid point…’ accepted Jamie. Sighing, he relented. ‘All right, I’ll tell you, but you have to promise you won’t tell anyone about this.’  
Corey nodded. ‘Of course, I promise.’  
Taking in a deep breath, Jamie began explaining. ‘There’s a Dark wizard cabal called R that’s after the Cursed Vaults. These last years, my friends and I fought them, but after we discovered the final Cursed Vault last term and broke the curse, my friends wanted to leave R behind us. But I can’t. R won’t let me. That’s how I know Mad-Eye, we’re working together to stop R.’  
‘This cabal… Did Rakepick belong to it?’ asked Corey, her voice tremulous.  
‘She did. We fought her in that vault, and I trapped her… Hopefully forever. But that’s not all… Just before summer, I saw Merula accept a Dark witch’s offer to join R.’  
Corey’s mouth fell agape, and she slowly sat on a desk, taking in the information. ‘I can’t believe Merula joined this… Dark Cabal… and what kind of name is R, anyway?’ she wondered aloud in disbelief. ‘I mean… her joining R on top of everything else that happened to you in your sixth year?’  
‘My sixth year was… rough, to say the least,’ admitted Jamie.  
‘Well, you’ve got me to help you now,’ said Corey, quickly standing up with a smile. ‘I’m observant and I can keep an eye on Merula when you can’t.’  
‘That does sound very useful, Corey…’ said Jamie, a bit doubtful, but grateful. ‘…and it would help a lot.’  
‘Well, before we start any snooping, I’ve got to know,’ said Corey with a concerned face. ‘How are you coping with all of this?’  
‘…That might be the first time someone at school has asked me that,’ noted Jamie, before answering. ‘Honestly? It’s not been easy. Sometimes it feels like everything is too much.’  
‘It’s important to have people you can talk with about this kind of stuff with,’ said Corey wisely. ‘And for what it’s worth, I think you’re handling it better than a lot of people would. Everything that’s happened to you? That’s a lot to process on your own. You can talk to me anytime, Jamie. I’d be happy to listen, especially if it helped you out.’  
Jamie nodded thankful, and Corey walked towards the door. ‘Corey?’ Jamie said, before Corey opened the door.  
‘Yeah, Jamie?’  
‘Thank you,’ said Jamie, smiling. ‘It feels really nice to talk to a friend about this.’  
Corey beamed up at his words. ‘I’m so glad you think I’m your friend! I was worried about how I was going to ask.’  
Jamie laughed. ‘Of course I think you’re my friend, Corey! It feels so… relieving to tell you all of this.’  
‘I’m sure it does. That was a lot to be holding on to all by yourself.’  
‘My other friends and I…’ said Jamie, a bit sad. ‘We’ve just been through so much. I couldn’t just accuse Merula without being sure.’  
‘Well, you’ve got me now!’ said Corey. ‘We’ll figure it out together.’  
‘Like Detective Conebush and Auror Persimmons?’ asked Jamie playfully.  
‘Exactly like that!’ agreed Corey, her grin widening. ‘This is a classic team-up in the making. And our first mission: Operation Spy on Merula Snyde!’

Jamie and Corey quickly got to work on their “mission”, sharing what classes they shared with Merula to figure out her timetable. Most of Jamie’s classes coincided with Merula’s, though not all of them, and it was shocking for him to learn that Merula had taken Muggle Studies back in her third year as an elective and shared her lessons with Corey; the perfect place for the Head Girl to spy on the Slytherin when Jamie couldn’t. Unluckily for the amateur detectives however, the first day of their investigation went awry: the only mystery they managed to solve was where Merula spent most of her post-supper time: getting Charms tutoring lessons from Badeea Ali. The two would-be detectives crashed their tutoring lesson that night, forcing a humiliated Merula to confess she was falling a bit behind on her Charms after making them promise to not speak a word to anyone else of it.   
‘Could be worse,’ Corey optimistically said the next morning after breakfast, while they hanged out in the corridors before classes, speaking in hushed voices. ‘At least you didn't have to tell Merula why we were spying on her. So she doesn't know that you know, you know? She doesn't know why we're investigating.’  
‘It doesn't feel like much of an advantage,’ said Jamie, bummed that Merula was not only still angry at him for finding out about her tutoring lessons, but that she would also be more on the lookout for any suspicions from him. ‘And I still don't have proof that Merula is up to no good.’  
‘Is it possible that you misjudged Merula?’ wondered Corey.  
‘What do you mean?’  
‘Well, we thought her meeting was part of a conspiracy… But she was simply getting Charms tutoring from Badeea.’  
‘That doesn't change what I heard last year.’  
‘In this scenario, they would review the facts,’ defended Corey. ‘First, the wizard from Mahoutokoro told you R has an agent at Hogwarts…’  
‘And then Merula told a Dark witch from R she was ready to join them and disappeared for the summer,’ Jamie said, having lost count of how many times he’d reviewed the facts by now. ‘That certainly makes her seem like she's betraying the school and her friends.’  
‘But it may not be the whole story,’ said Corey, raising a finger. ‘Because the real culprit is rarely the person you'd expect. And sometimes people who seem guilty are innocent, and people who seem innocent are guilty.’  
‘You do know life isn’t a book series, right?’  
Corey reddened slightly, and said ‘Maybe, but… are you confident that Merula is working with R?’  
Jamie heaved a tired sigh, and said ‘Perhaps… perhaps I did jump to conclusions when I saw Merula with that Dark witch. She could be innocent.’ He thought the chances of it being so were extremely slim, but deeply wished it was true.  
‘Exactly. We shouldn't judge until we know her true motives! Until we do, she deserves the benefit of the doubt. The only way to be sure is with irrefutable evidence. Which means we've got to keep watching Merula.’  
‘We'll have to be more careful this time,’ noted Jamie. ‘Merula knows we've been spying on her. Even if she's guilty, she could feign innocence to throw us off.’

Their investigation faced another impediment, in the form of the career orientation that people in their year were offered. They were summoned in groups of six to the Headmaster’s office, to talk about this very matter. In Jamie’s case, he was summoned alongside five of his friends: Ben, Charlie, Tonks, Liz and Barnaby.  
‘Despite this being possible because of some close friends, remember that you are representing Hogwarts,’ said Dumbledore with seriousness. ‘Everything you do at the Ministry of Magic will reflect on our school. Any questions?’ The students shook their heads, and Dumbledore gave them a small but proud smile. ‘I must say, you six are excellent candidates for the Ministry. Miss Tonks’s dependability, Mr Lee’s loyalty, Miss Tuttle’s knowledge, Mr Weasley’s bravery, Mr Copper’s steadfastness… And, finally, Mr Smith…’ His blue eyes fell on Jamie’s, and the student held the Headmaster’s gaze, almost challengingly. ‘Some have called you stubborn, some lucky, and some ambitious…’  
‘Well, I do like to think I’m ambitious and determined to succeed, Professor,’ said Jamie calmly, a small smirk forming involuntarily.  
‘The Sorting Hat did well to put you in Slytherin, then,’ noted Dumbledore with a nod. ‘You are quite the formidable force when you put your mind to something. You've been chosen to go for these qualities, but also for your heroic efforts in sealing the Cursed Vaults. Which is why, first and foremost, you will be starting in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement,’ he added, addressing the group as a whole.  
Tonks jumped on the spot, grinning wide and swinging a fist in victory. ‘Yes! Auror training, here I come!’  
‘You really think they'll put us on Auror training, Tonks?’ asked Jamie.  
Her smile froze, as she muttered ‘Uh, well-’  
‘That, students, will be entirely up to the Ministry,’ said Dumbledore, and Tonks was filled with hope again. ‘Now, I trust you all to balance your time at the Ministry with your studies. Do not let me down.’  
The students nodded and agreed in unison, and Dumbledore smiled again. ‘Excellent. You'll pick up the necessary credentials to explore the Ministry upon arrival. Now, if you'll excuse me, there's some business I must attend to.’

The six students continued chatting well after leaving Dumbledore’s office, commenting what their expectations were and what they were most excited to see. Charlie, Liz and Barnaby hoped to visit the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, while Ben wished to check the Accidental Magic Reversal Squad, and Tonks the Auror Office. Jamie leant more towards the Auror Office, like Tonks, though he was still unsure the Ministry was the place for him; and after Charlie had mentioned it, the Department of Mysteries was becoming more alluring to him. Then the issue of getting to the Ministry was raised: they were allowed to leave the castle on specific days for this purpose, but getting transportation was mostly up to them. They agreed the Floo Network would be the most practical solution, and Jamie offered to ask his Head of House for Floo Powder, confident that his position as Head Boy would be helpful in this endeavour. With this idea in mind, Jamie made his way to Snape’s office, accompanied by Tonks for “emotional support” as she put it. The door was ajar when they arrived, and an enthusiastic voice was coming from inside. ‘All I'm saying is that, if you think about it, Muggle chemistry is really quite similar-’  
Jamie knocked on the door, peeking in tentatively. Snape was sitting at his desk, seething with anger, while another man around his age with slick brown hair and a goatee had been pacing in front of him, seemingly oblivious to Snape’s boiling rage judging by his happy expression. Instead of robes, he wore a long bluish green jacket with a colourful vest under it, with a hanging fob watch. The man turned to see the two teens at the door, smiling at Tonks. ‘Oh, hello! Miss Tonks and… Mr Smith, yes?’ he asked, his eyes flickering over Jamie’s newest badge for a second.  
‘Erm, yes, professor…?’  
‘Sikander, Arif Sikander,’ said the man, smiling at Jamie. ‘I’ve taken over Muggle Studies this year.’  
‘Nice to meet you,’ said Jamie pleasantly. ‘Tonks and I just wanted to ask Professor Snape about some Floo Powder, but I see you're busy-’  
‘I'm not,’ said Snape curtly.  
‘We were just having a friendly discussion about Muggle chemistry!’ claimed Professor Sikander.   
‘We could… come back after your discussion?’ offered Tonks.  
‘There is no discussion,’ said Snape. ‘Professor Sikander is simply speaking. What do you need Floo Powder for, Smith?’  
‘To go to the Ministry of Magic, professor.’  
‘We're going to learn what it takes to be Aurors!’ said Tonks excitedly. ‘At least I hope that's what we'll be learning about.’  
Snape raised an eyebrow. ‘Is that so?’  
‘Oh, Aurors! How lovely,’ commented Sikander, almost dreamily. ‘You know Muggles have got-’  
‘And why would you be invited to the Ministry of Magic?’ said Snape, cutting across the other teacher.  
‘Um…’ Tonks stammered. ‘Professor Dumbledore did… specifically pick us to be assigned to the Ministry for… stuff.’  
‘Speak clearly or not at all, Miss Tonks.’  
‘Oh, I think that's a bit harsh, don't you?’ said Sikander.  
‘Professor Sikander, I wouldn't-’ tried to warn Jamie, but Snape’s dark eyes had already locked on the other professor with renewed fury.  
‘Did I ask for your opinion?’  
‘Well, no…’  
‘Then do not give it.’ Snape stood up, and walked towards a cabinet while saying ‘I will give you and Miss Tonks this Floo Powder on the condition that you do not engage in any tomfoolery.’  
‘I don't know if I can promise that…’ murmured Tonks while Snape retrieved a small pouch.  
‘We can do that, Professor Snape,’ promised Jamie, throwing Tonks a warning look.  
‘Very well,’ said Snape, handing Jamie the pouch with green glittery powder. ‘This will be enough to get you to and from the Ministry. Now, all three of you need to leave. Immediately.’  
‘Oh, do you have a class soon?’ asked Sikander curiously.  
‘No, I simply cannot stand any of you.’

A few days later, just before leaving for the first trip to Hogsmeade, Jamie was approached during breakfast by Corey with news. ‘You will be pleased to know that I've found us… a star witness!’ she said happily, dragging a younger, blonde girl by the sleeve.  
‘Beatrice?’  
‘Yeah… hi,’ said Beatrice Haywood, embarrassed. ‘Can we make this quick? I've got things to do.’  
‘Oh, sure, of course! Corey?’  
‘Well, don't hold back, Beatrice! Tell Jamie what you told me.’  
‘You are far too excited…’ noted Beatrice, giving Corey a weird look.  
‘Don't mind her, Beatrice,’ advised Jamie. ‘Just tell me whatever it is you know.’  
Beatrice sighed. ‘If I must… It's got to do with Merula.’  
‘Oh, just wait until you hear!’  
‘Will you stop interrupting me?’ snapped Beatrice at Corey, making the Head Girl look ashamed. ‘As I was saying, before you so rudely interrupted… On my walks, I’ve been seeing Merula hanging around the Whomping Willow, and she’s always in a foul mood after getting back from there. I’m not sure what she’s been doing, but it’s weird.’  
‘I see… Thank you, that’s quite interesting,’ said Jamie gratefully.  
‘Yeah, whatever. I'm going to go now,’ said Beatrice, quickly walking away.  
‘Bye, Beatrice! Thank you for helping!’ said Corey, waving at the girl, who poignantly ignored her. ‘So… what do you think of Merula going to the Whomping Willow?’  
‘I think it's suspicious,’ said Jamie quietly. ‘The Whomping Willow was a known communications depot for R.’  
Corey’s eyes widened, and she argued ‘In that case, we should definitely, at the very least, take a look!’  
Jamie nodded. ‘That's what Detective Conebush and Auror Persimmons would do, right?’  
‘It is!’  
‘But, I've got to leave for the Ministry of Magic soon,’ said Jamie, looking at his watch. Together with Tonks, he had planned to ask Madam Rosmerta permission to use the fireplace at her pub to get to the Ministry that same morning.  
‘I'll keep an eye on Merula while you're gone,’ promised Corey. ‘We've got to know for sure if she's the mole before we expose her. Even the best detective teams have to divide and conquer sometimes!’  
‘Thanks, Corey,’ said Jamie, standing up to leave. ‘If anything happens, send me an owl.’ 

Madam Rosmerta gladly agreed to let Tonks and Jamie use the fireplace, as long as they didn’t make a mess of the place with soot. And so, the two friends stood in front of the fire in the pub, and Jamie threw a pinch of Floo powder into it, turning the flames emerald green. ‘Want to go first, Tonks?’  
‘Oh… what's the rush?’ asked Tonks, suddenly looking queasy. ‘I mean we could just… sit and have a Butterbeer first.’  
‘Tonks? Are you okay? A second ago you couldn't wait to go to the Ministry of Magic.’  
‘Jamie… what if I turn out to be a rotten Auror?’ asked Tonks, looking downright terrified.  
‘You'll be an excellent Auror, Tonks,’ Jamie said reassuringly. ‘There's no doubt about it.’  
‘I feel all… jittery. And not like when I eat a bunch of candy, but like when Snape yells at me.’  
‘I understand. Going outside of Hogwarts is a really big deal and we both want to make a good impression. And I know you'll make a fantastic first impression,’ insisted Jamie.  
Tonks breathed deep a few times, and nodded. ‘You know what… you're right. I am an amazing witch and I'm determined to be an Auror! Nothing will stop me when I have this much willpower!’ she said, growing in confidence with each word.  
‘There's the Tonks I know!’  
‘Thank you, Jamie,’ said Tonks, approaching the fireplace a bit more. ‘For everything.’  
‘Anytime, Tonks. You're my friend. But less talking and more going! I don't want to be late on my first day.’  
Tonks laughed and nodded, before stepping inside the green flames and yelling clearly ‘Ministry of Magic!’  
The flames grew and engulfed her form in a split second, and with a fiery roar she disappeared while spinning around. ‘I hope she made it there okay…’ mused Jamie, before throwing another pinch of powder into the now normal-looking fire.  
‘Not so fast, James,’ said a gruff voice when the fire turned green, just before Jamie placed a foot inside.  
Jamie turned around, frowning at the scarred figure that had addressed him. ‘Mad-Eye! What are you doing here? And… how did you know I was going to be here?’  
‘No time for your questions,’ said Moody, shaking his head. ‘You're headed to the Ministry of Magic, correct?’  
‘I am,’ confirmed Jamie, and in a whisper he added ‘Don't worry about Merula, I’ve got someone keeping an eye on her.’  
‘That's good to hear. Unfortunately, I'm not here to celebrate. I've got a warning for you.’  
‘Has something happened? Is Jacob okay?’ asked Jamie with growing worry.  
‘Jacob’s fine,’ assured Moody. ‘It's you who needs to worry. It's no coincidence that your first assignment is at the Ministry… I believe R has agents inside the Ministry. I need you to keep an eye out for anything suspicious. This time you won't be on your own, though. I've got… contacts at the Ministry helping me.’  
‘Who are they?’ asked Jamie. ‘I'll make sure to get in contact with them.’  
‘Can't say. Too many ears here,’ said Moody, his blue eye spinning around even faster. ‘Just be careful with who you trust when you get to the Ministry.’  
‘Of course, Mad-Eye. Constant vigilance.’  
Moody nodded curtly. ‘Indeed. Now, off you go to the Ministry for your first assignment!’  
Jamie stooped a bit to get into the fireplace, and yelled ‘Ministry of Magic!’  
The flames grew again, and he spun and spun around, making sure to keep his elbows close to his body and his eyes shut. Seconds later, his feet landed on solid ground, and he opened his eyes as he carefully walked out of the fireplace he’d just arrived at.


End file.
